Router - Ridgid R2401 Trim Router

Router - Ridgid R2401 Trim Router

When I first went looking for a router, I had a few things in mind as far as features....small enough and well balanced to be easy to handled, a round base, easy depth adjustment, and plenty of power. The Ridgid Trim Router looked like it would fit the bill perfectly, and did it ever! This router is one of the most powerful trim routers availabe, and at $99 is much cheaper than any of it's competitor brands.

This router is small enough for comfortable one-hand operation, something that is really important if you'll need to be reaching into the middle of a wide piece of wood. As said, it is very powerful and will even handle most tasks you'd use a full-size router for. For HO guys, the "default" 3.5" round base could be used on it's own if you like 1.75" lane spacing (though it would technically be 1/32 over). Something I discovered after purchasing this router was that while not exactly designed for them, the sub-bases will accept most readily available router bushings, which made cutting rail slots a breeze. They even went as far as purposely designing a "rubberized" top so that between cutting or when repositioning you can sit the router upside-down without scratching your work surface...another example of the amount of thought that went into it's design. As for dependability, after well over 1000' linear feet of cutting, it still looks and operates like brand new.

The only negative thing I could say about this router is that is has no dust collection provision. Other than that, it's almost like it was made for track routing!

I got mine last December at a local HD. There's a story behind it though. When I went for it, they only had the previous model R2400, which while nice is not nearly as good as the 2401 is for our purposes. They acted like the 2401 didn't exist. I go back three weeks later for some supplies, and the shelf is now filled with 2401's, so I threw a fit and they exchanged them for me.

Thanks Gene, trying to find that little Ridgid guy is tough right now.Took a look a Makita Laminate/trimmer router,but they have a square base,so i'm gonna try to get a look at what Dewalt carries in laminate trimmers.Sounds like most guys reconmend a router with a round base,so that's kinda what i've been looking for.Rick

Good news,Home Depot is expecting a shipment of them soon,and i'm assuming there's not much differance in Home Depots south or north of the border.At least that's the general feeling i got last Monday,when Todd and i stopped at his local one.They had R2401 on display so i at least got to take a look at one,but dam try'ing to buy the display model from Home Depot is nigh onto impossible.Rick

Got both Rick and I one. Now we're going to make a big pile of dust. Hopefully Sintra. I got some 4 flute end mill bits that cut through the Sintra like butter and don't leave a melted mess of plastic in the slot to be cleaned out afterwards. Now to get our CNC guy into the mess.

Todd

Todd

I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.

I'm liking this new router. Been playing with it on Sintra and MDF. I sure do like routing Sintra better man. Different kind of mess than MDF. Cleans up easier too. Also, I've been finding that when routing a slot in Sintra and then again in MDF with the same bit, the slot in the Sintra seems wider. I can get wider wire into the Sintra slot than the MDF slot. I guess the MDF fibres get in the way a tiny bit after the slot is cut.

Rick's tried slowing the router down even more than the speed control lets you by using one of his magic power boxes. Looks like an outlet hooked up to a dimmer switch. Don't know if we have to do this but we know it can be done. Also don't know what effect it might have on the router motor.

I've drawn up a base plate plan and Ted's going to CNC route one up for me. We'll see how that works. Report later.

That's it for now.

Todd

I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.

I've been trying to find a better way to attach a vacuum hose to my Rigid trim router. I was wandering through Lee Valley tools the other day and I saw their Vaccuflex attachment for a shop vac. It's four sections of vinyl tubing* ranging from 1/4" to 5/8" inside diameter that can be linked to form a flexible, tapered nozzle. Two adapters are supplied to fit most vacuums: the small adapter fits both 1-1/4" and 1-7/8" outside diameter vacuum port cuffs; the large accepts 1-1/2" and 2-1/4" outside diameter.

The 3/8" hose fits great in the exhaust port on the Rigid trim router as you can see here.

Here you can see how the hoses for together. They're flexible and may be easier to move around than a big shop vac hose.

Looks great in theory. Haven't turned it you though. I'll give it a whirl on Monday and report back then.